If your life involves regular travel and hotel stays, you know how difficult it is to stay in shape on the go. It’s pretty much impossible to bring free weights, benches, treadmills or most other exercise equipment with you, and even if you’re lucky enough to stay in a hotel with a fitness center they often lack equipment that is essential to your routine. You can substitute bodyweight movements for strength work, but how can you get in your cardio? One way is to pick up a portable exercise bike. We’ve reviewed 5 models available online to get your shopping started. Even if you don’t travel, you can place one under your desk at work and never make time for cardio again!
Portable Exercise Bike Models
Stamina 15-0125 InStride Folding Cycle
The Stamina Instride is a compact and lightweight folding portable exercise bike designed to be taken with you wherever you go: home, office, or even on vacation. It features non-slip feet, multiple levels of resistance and an extremely durable steel frame design. The Instride measures 19″ wide x 15.25″ high x 12.25″ deep and weighs only nine pounds. That’s less than the average house cat! It’s perfect for light exercise (maybe under your desk at work). This bike is an inexpensive and convenient option to keep your exercise routine on track.
Drive Medical Deluxe Folding Exercise Peddler with Electronic Display
Drive Medical’s portable exercise bike has its electronic tracker integrated directly into the body of the bike. This five-function monitor tracks revolutions, exercise time, revolutions per minute (rpm) and an estimation of calories burned. It is also capable of switching between these functions at set intervals for your convenience. It’s smaller than the previous model, measuring 12.5″ high x 14.7″ wide x 6.5″ deep and weighing in at a feather-light 7 pounds. The level of resistance offered may not be enough for hardcore fitness buffs. But if you’re relatively new it’s a great choice for physical therapy or if space is at a premium.
Folding Digital Pedal Exerciser
The EasyComforts Folding Digital Pedal Exerciser retails at a slightly higher price point. However, it includes a few neat design choices that make it worth the money for some. The digital tracker on this one is removable, so you can hold it in your hand or set it on your desk. This allows you to monitor your workout without bending down to read the LCD screen. The readout displays time, RPM and estimates calories burned.
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B0418 Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike, Gray
This bike features a quiet and reliable magnetic tension system with 8 separate levels of resistance. It records your time, speed, distance and an estimation of calories burned. The pedals are designed to accommodate hands as well as feet. This allows you to get in an upper body workout as well! It measures 21.7″ high x 14″wide by 18.1″ deep and weighs in at a hefty 21 pounds. It’s not the lightest, smallest or cheapest exerciser on this list, but what you lose in portability and budget-friendliness you make up for in features and overall build quality.
DeskCycle Desk Exercise Bike Pedal Exerciser
This DeskCycle bike is incredibly low to the ground, with a minimum pedal height of 10″. This lets it work with smaller desks and in other cramped situations. It’s a great option if vertical space is at a premium. It also features a magnetic resistance system and has a smoother, more quiet pedal motion. A noisy exerciser can be very distracting. This feature is extremely important for those who like to work while they work out. The 5-function tracker records the usual time, calories and distance. It’s most notable for its integration with an online calorie calculator. The DeskCycle exercise machine is the most expensive one on this list, but it is also a finely tuned piece of machinery that is sure to help you meet your goals. It is also the least portable of the lot, weighing 23.8 pounds and measuring 24″ high x 20″ wide x 10″ deep. It may not be made for travel, but it’s perfect to put under your desk at work or in front of your couch at home.
The folding bike market is large, and there are many more options than we’ve detailed here. Whichever one you choose, these bikes are the perfect way to work some extra cardio into your day. You’ll be conveniently improving your health and your productivity! How great is that?
These reviews are helpful, but the one thing I need is not included.
I need the length of the arms that the pedals are attached to.
I’ve tried lowering the seat, moving it closer, but having short legs makes the travel distance hard to achieve. The knee has to come too high and then I have to stretch to get to the bottom of the travel. After having knee replacement, it causes a lot of pain.
Additional information would be great.